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State cracks down on unlicensed limousine companies Enforcement coincides with busy prom season BY RICK HARRISON REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

A corsage, a tuxedo, a frilly dress, parents snapping endless photos and a ride in a stretched limousine.

As teenagers across the state invest hard-earned savings and hopes for golden memories in their prom night, the state government aims to make sure those limousines aren't stretching the rules.

"During prom season, we call them the predators -- they come out of nowhere," said Dennis King, manager of the regulatory and compliance unit in the state Bureau of Public Transportation. "They are taking total advantage of what should be a great night for children. It could turn into a nightmare if there's an accident."

More than 800 limousine companies in the state operate thousands of vehicles on the road, only 20 percent of which are stretched limousines or spiffed-up so-called party buses.

In eight unannounced enforcement checks during last year's prom season, the state Department of Transportation and state Department of Motor Vehicles towed and fined 125 vehicles driving prom couples without proper registration, licenses or insurance.

"That's the scary part," said King, who is planning another pair of operations this weekend. "Those are just the ones we caught."

And after an as-yet unexplained limousine fire earlier this month in California killed five women, including a recent bride whose wedding they were celebrating, enforcement officials have focused their efforts with renewed gravity.

"We know cars that have not been inspected in the past have caused injuries," King said. "We don't want to wait until there is a California incident in Connecticut."

The state inspects every stretched vehicle, SUV or bus used in livery service, assigning a license plate that begins and ends with the letter "L" except for vehicles that are allowed to operate between states, which begin and end with the letter "Z."

Livery drivers need to pass a state and federal criminal background check; not appear on the sex offender registry; to have a driving record without serious offenses such as driving under the influence, evading an accident, or reckless driving; and pass a medical examination.

"None of this is sexy stuff," said Mark DiChiara, owner of Gateway Limousine in Waterbury for 24 years. "But it's important stuff."

For the 10th year, the DOT has sent a letter to high school principals warning about the dangers of unlicensed limousine operators.

In particular, the state seeks to crack down on out-of-state operators who are allowed to drop off passengers from other states but are not licensed to make pickups and stops within Connecticut.

During prom season, companies from New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and as far south as Delaware, Maryland and Georgia come to Connecticut in unregistered vehicles that have not been inspected by the DOT and might not carry insurance.

"These vehicles are unsafe and not fit for the road, many of them," King said, noting that people often seek stretched Hummers, which are not legal in Connecticut because they are not recommended for such alteration by the manufacturer.

DiChiara warns against using any out-of-state company.

"If you've got a vehicle that came from 150 miles away, they know you're a one-time customer," DiChiara said. "You would hope they would do a good job for you, but at the same time, they're just in it for the one-time sale."

Even in-state operators get caught breaking the rules.

In February, Berlin-based Premier Limousine, the state's largest limousine company, agreed to pay a $50,000 fine for illegally operating vehicles in Connecticut with Massachusetts plates.

King praised companies like Gateway for doing the right thing.

"They are making money, they are passing our inspections," King said. "Because they understand safety for them means good business."

DiChiara recommends inspecting a vehicle before signing a contract, understanding the policies concerning the deposit and final payment, and working with a company that is attentive to parents' needs by approving all prom night stops before and after the event.

"It's all in the details," DiChiara said. "This business is a totally detail-driven business."

" They make money because they have a monopoly. In a capitalist country, anyone should have the right to open a limo company, but not in the US. If they allowed anyone to open a business, prices would go down.

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